


No More Wasted Time

by TheSecondBatgirl



Category: Power Rangers Samurai
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-07
Updated: 2013-09-07
Packaged: 2017-12-25 22:01:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/958090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSecondBatgirl/pseuds/TheSecondBatgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Master Xandred is defeated, Lauren isn't sure what to do with herself. Not until the invitation arrives for Emily's birthday party, and the chance to see Serena for the first time in years.</p>
            </blockquote>





	No More Wasted Time

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PunkPinkPower](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PunkPinkPower/gifts).



The defeat of Master Xandred opened up a world of possibilities. For the first time, Lauren was able to look at her future, and see something besides the fight and the symbol ahead of her.

Of course, the problem with being focused on the fight for so long meant that Lauren wasn’t really sure what there was to _see_ in her future. There had never really been a discussion of after. Sure, she now had the chance to try and get to know her brother, which had been something she had always dreamed of.

But that was all, and he had his own life now, his own place, his own team. She had a suitcase full of training gear, but nothing that was really hers. What right did she really have to intrude in his life? Take away his friends?

She didn’t. She didn’t belong there, anymore. If she ever had. Without a goal to work towards, she really didn’t belong anywhere.

If she hadn’t gotten the invitation to Emily’s birthday party, she didn’t know what she would have done with herself. More training, maybe. Joined the Silver Guardians. But instead, the invitation came.

Lauren was surprised to receive an invitation to Emily’s birthday party, three months after the defeat of Master Xandred. It had been a surprise to see Emily when Lauren had come to the Shiba House - she’d been cut off from so much news that nobody had even told her that Serena had taken ill.

She should have known. They had been best friends, once. Before the her father had died. Before she’d had to go off and lose her entire life to mastering the symbol.

At first, Lauren wasn’t even sure that she would even go to Emily’s birthday party. She wasn’t sure that the invitation came as anything other than politeness. Besides, it wasn’t her team. 

And then she saw the note. Handwritten, at the very bottom of the invitation. “Serena would love to see you. We all would.”

All of Lauren’s reservations seemed to melt away. She quickly sent off her RSVP and started to think of what could possibly be a thing to say to Serena after they had spent over twelve years apart.

There would be plenty of time to plan it out. And figure out what to buy Emily for her birthday, and what she could say to the rest of the team.

If it wasn’t for the chance to see Serena again, she might not have gone at all.

*

The party was held at the farm where Emily and Serena grew up. Lauren had been there once, a lifetime ago. She and Serena had the run of the farm while their parents had met to discuss the attacks by Master Xandred. The farm held some of her last good memories from before everything had changed.

Emily met her at the door with a hug. That was the thing about Emily - she was a super tactile person, and Lauren had been alone for so long that she wasn’t used to it. The only touch she’d had before she’d met up with Jayden’s team had been from training.

Serena had been like that, too. Memories of the two of them skipping about the farm, hand in hand, flashed before her.

“Happy birthday,” she said cheerfully, as she handed over Emily’s present. She hoped Emily liked the new training uniform. Clothes were a good birthday gift, at least she thought they were.

“I’m so glad you came,” Emily told her. “I haven’t seen you since the fight ended. And Serena hasn’t stopped talking about seeing you again.” 

“Really?” Lauren said, hoping she had managed to control the eagerness in her voice.

“Yep!” Emily said. “Well, after she was done apologizing for not telling me about you, but she said that she couldn’t. But she’s been asking about you non-stop.”

“It would be nice to see her.”

Emily grinned. “She’s out on the patio, right through that door.”

“Thanks,” Lauren said. “Happy birthday!” she called again over her shoulder as she went to see Serena for the first time in years.

*

Seeing Serena for the first time was actually harder than she thought. She’d heard from Jayden and Emily about Serena’s illness, and how it had prevented her from joining the team. She knew Serena was in remission now, but she still looked tired.

Some part of her was glad that Serena hadn’t been on the team with her brother. They’d talked about it, when they were little, with Serena promising to protect her princess. Lauren had argued back that she didn’t need to be protected, that she was a samurai, but Serena had insisted.

It had been one of the things she’d been scared of all the years in hiding - that Serena would forget about her promise because she’d protected Jayden instead. Or worse, that all the years had made Serena forget her.

“Lauren,” Serena said, and a look of pure joy appeared on her face. “I’ve missed you.”

Lauren sat down in the chair next to her, and reached for Serena’s hand. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you,” Serena said. “I cried for weeks after they told me I had to pretend you never existed. But I never forgot.”

“You were always bad at following my orders,” Lauren said.

“Obviously,” Serena said, and they smiled at each other. Lauren was just content to sit there, with the best and only friend she’d ever had.

*

The party went on, and people kept stopping by by to chat, and constantly interrupting their discussion, before the others got the hint that Lauren and Serena wanted to be left alone. They had years to catch up on, and being together finally made all of that possible. Being together just felt _right_.

Before Lauren knew it, the party was starting to break up. But she didn’t want to leave. After so long without being with Serena, she didn’t want to be apart again.

Serena grabbed her hand. “I will see you again, right?” she asked.

“I can come back whenever you want me to,” Lauren said. “I don’t really have any other plans.”

“We’ll just have to make some, then,” Serena said, and then, before Lauren really knew what was happening, Serena was kissing her, and it was the most wonderful thing she’d ever felt.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then?” Serena asked when they broke apart.

“I waited years for this,” Lauren said. “I’m not going to waste any more time.”

For the first time since Xandred had been defeated, she had something to live for.


End file.
